3-4 South Square restructures management team

Commercial set 3-4 South Square is to scrap its head of chambers post in May when Michael Crystal QC stands down after 24 years in the role.

The set’s management will now instead be led by a trio of silks. William Trower QC will become the chair of the executive committee and will be responsible for overseeing the running of chambers.

Alongside Trower, Gabriel Moss QC and Robin Dicker QC will act as joint directors of policy and strategy. They will be in charge of spearheading the future development of chambers.

Paul Cooklin, 3-4 senior practice manager said Crystal’s dynamism and vision had contributed to the set growing to its current membership of 18 silks and 27 juniors. He added that the set now seeks to consolidate and strengthen all its practice areas.

“In order to pursue that aim we will be adopting a new model for chambers’ leadership,” said Cooklin. “We believe that this new model of leadership best reflects the breadth of chambers’ work, drawing on the experience of members representing our range of practice areas.”

This is an interesting decision – I have often thought that the traditional “Head of Chambers” role is rather old fashioned and increasingly out-of-touch with modern business realities. I suspect that more and more sets will follow South Square’s lead by moving to a more modern and commercial management structure in future.